A man is facing a life sentence after being convicted of murdering Colchester coin collector Gordon McGhee.
Danny Bostock, 32, of Berberis Walk, Colchester, had denied murdering Mr McGhee by stabbing him 14 times and cutting his throat.
He also denied a charge of attempted arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered in the early hours of August 22 last year but was found guilty by a jury of both offences at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday March 8.
Judge David Goodin adjourned sentence until March 19 when he will decide the minimum term Bostock will have to serve before he can be considered for early release by the parole board.
The court heard that Bostock had a criminal record dating back to 2003 and had been jailed for six years for rape in 2008.
As his previous convictions were being read out Bostock got up and left the dock.
Giving evidence during the three week trial Bostock accepted that whoever stabbed 52-year-old Mr McGhee must have had blood on their clothing.
He claimed he had put the pink ‘Diesel’ T-shirt he had worn on the night of the alleged murder in a communal washing machine at his accommodation in Berberis Close, Colchester and hadn’t seen it since.
He denied getting rid of it because it had Mr McGhee’s blood on it.
During cross-examination by Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, Bostock admitted lying to police by saying he had been wearing flip-flops and not his Lonsdale trainers on the night of Mr McGhee’s murder.
Bostock denied going into Mr McGhee’s ground floor flat in Forest Road, Colchester, with the intention of stealing his prized coin collection.
He also denied trying to start a fire in the flat to destroy evidence.
Bostock said he didn’t know who killed Mr McGhee but blamed it on a friend who had been drinking with him, Mr McGhee and two women on the night of the killing.
The court heard that Bostock, who was also a coin collector, murdered Mr McGhee after he disturbed him during a burglary at his ground floor flat.
After stabbing Mr McGhee, Bostock tried to cause a gas explosion by turning on the gas oven and setting light to a cloth to destroy evidence.
The court heard that Mr McGhee was a collector of rare and valuable coins, including special edition 50p pieces which bore images of Beatrix Potter characters.
Paying tribute, his family said in a statement: “Gordon was a kind-hearted, gentle soul. As a dad he was thoughtful, supportive, encouraging and a whole heap of fun and laughter.
“As a partner and friend he was loyal, generous, empathetic and witty. He found joy in a variety of things from his coins to playing chess and watching films.
“Most of his life was spent in the kitchen cooking up something amazingly tasty or outside relishing in nature.
“You could usually find him by a pond or lake relaxing doing some fishing, birdwatching and camping. More often than not, he’d be accompanied by one of his dogs.”
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Truss, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “My thoughts are with Mr McGhee’s family and friends at this difficult time.
“Gordon McGhee, by all accounts, was a well-liked man and his death was a great shock to everyone.
“I don’t believe that Bostock shows any remorse at all for taking Mr McGhee’s life.
“His continued lies, including trying to pin the murder on an innocent man and his denial of owning the trainers that we knew were key to this investigation, show that.
“His attack on Mr McGhee was senseless and brutal. He is an incredibly dangerous man and I hope he is sent to prison for a long time.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here